Page 84 of Enchanted Crown
“Fine,” I told Nana. “I will wear my suit and crown like a good little prince.”
“Not so little,” she smirked, then gestured to the Wylan crown upon my head. “And not that crown.”
Amory sucked in a breath.
“It is time you wore one of ours, I think,” Nana continued. “And I know just the one.”
I cocked my head. “You could let me propose first, you know.”
Amory again gasped, this time laced with excitement. “You have a ring? Or do you need help? Because I volunte?—”
My glare was sharp enough she cut off. “I’ve had it for a while.” I’d commissioned it from the royal jewelers when we formed the treaty, at the same time I had asked for her necklace set. I’d had it in my possession since we came back from our bonding. I’d been wise enough to hide it away before the bonding ceremony and then block out thinking about it entirely, that way Esta wouldn’t sense anything going on.
I was stuck between wanting to propose tomorrow and waiting until things settled down. Esta had asked for more time, yet just yesterday had told this very room that we would be married.
“Take your time,” Nana said, contradicting the very thing she had just said about crowns. “The two of you are soul bound. We all know it’s inevitable.”
“I don’t think things are going to slow down anytime soon. We have a hunt for Morana underway. More healings. And Corsha to figure out.”
“Love waits for nothing.” Nana’s cane hit the floor sharply as if the punctuation to her statement before she stood. “Now come along. Let’s get your crown.”
“Is Esta going to like this?”The weight of the crown was in my hands. Esta’s grandfather’s crown.
“Eventually,” Nana said with a shrug. “This wasn’t my Hanish’s formal crown, just his casual one.”
I looked at it, the black gems on the black frame. If this was the casual one, I didn’t want to see the formal one. It looked heavy but was actually far lighter than I thought.
“She wouldn’t use our bond until yesterday,” I found myself admitting as I took in the crown, though I had no idea why.
“I know,” she muttered. “Foolish girl.”
“And she told me part of the reason why she didn’t was because she remembered what his death did to you.”
“I would feel that pain ten times over rather than have never found him.” There were no catches or dips to her voice with her admission, only pure honesty. “Esta also knows that, she just forgot it. We will help her to remember it. This exact crown will help her remember it.” She squinted at the crown. “Dra Skor crowns are traditionally black and gold, but in this case, I think we might even add a few blue gems.”
For my Enchantment. My breath caught. I needed to leave soon for the healings, but for some reason, talking with Nana made everything less overwhelming. More doable.
“A soul bound couple on the throne of Dra Skor is a powerful thing.” Nana patted my hand which still held the crown. “I will stay and help you find Morana. And we will all fix Dra Skor together.”
“Will I ever be fully accepted here?” I asked her. “Or will I always be known as the prince of Dra Skor’s enemies?”
“I think in the near future you will be known as the prince who saved Dra Skor, healed her people.” She gestured toward my hands. “Gave us a different sort of power.” A pause. “Maybe even gave us a few heirs too?”
I couldn’t help the smile that surely played on my lips. “I’ll do my best.”
She thunked her cane down. “Just don’t allow your children to destroy each other over the throne like mine have managed.” She looked toward the window. “It is partially my fault. We were busy. Always just too busy.”
“Esta holds nothing but love and respect for you, Isolde. They know you did the best you could.”
“Yet I’m still referred to as Nana Ice behind my back?” A smirk. “I do like hearing my actual name though.”
I laughed. Of course she knew what they called her. “It’s the rather formidable cane. I see a woman who cares for them all deeply.”
“Well don’t tell them that,” she barked. “I have a reputation to uphold. Now go on. I am sure your men are readying to leave.”
“Will you allow me to heal you?” I asked. Esta had told me the hue to her scales was turquoise. I couldn’t deny that I wanted to see it.
She was quiet a moment. “When all the children are healed, I’ll consider it,” she finally said. “Now go. My cane is feeling awfully twitchy.”
